mct cautions against unethical practice

WaliomeremetaMarch/April, 2012

Issue No. 196 September, 2020

Govt newspapers negate opposition

contenders

Page 5

All is set for EJAT gala

News News

Page 9 6

MCT to have new Governing

Board

News

MCT cautions against unethical practice

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EDITORIAL

It is now eleven years, since the first Excellence in Journalism Tanzania (EJAT) was held. And since then the organizers of the significant annual event for journalists in the country have never looked back. Each year from 2009, journalists from over the country are awarded for best

performance.For all these years, the EJAT gala night where winners and runners up

are announced and awarded has been held in the Dar es Salaam. The only changes were the venues – from Movinpick Hotel, Ubungo Plaza, Mlimani City and Golden Tulip.

For the first time this year, the EJAT gala night will be held outside Tanzania’s commercial capital of Dar e s Salaam. It is going to be held in Tanga - which for most people is a cradle for exuberance and hospitality laced with its famous Kiswahili expression - Tanga waja leo waondoka leo ( literally translated –Tanga you come today but leave on grace of God).

Between September 27 and 28, 2020 the city will receive 100 plus visitors who will be there for EJAT festivities and the National General Convention (NGC) of the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT).

The NGC will be held earlier in the day to be followed later by EJAT gala night where awards, trophies and prizes for journalists who have made impressive performance for the 2019 will be presented.

Those whose names will be read out during the occasion will join the ranks of hundreds more who have been successful and awarded the prestigious awards for recognition of their professional achievements.

EJAT by any means is a landmark achievement and if initially there were doubting Thomases about the competition, they have been proved wrong as it has not fizzled like the famous coined expression nguvu ya soda - EJAT has prevailed.

To say this does not mean that there were no challenges. Far from it, but the organizers have persevered and continue to carry on with the competition.

At the initial stages, the competition was even getting support from the donor community. But with donor fatigue worldwide, the events’ organizers pulled up their socks with the support of local sponsors and contributors.

While we appreciate the contributions by various sponsors and well wishers in making EJAT a success, we equally appeal for more support.

For holding EJAT in Tanga is a testimony that the awards have matured as national event, further entrenching across all communities , our hope that this is definitely a catalyst for functions of the coveted awards to be held in other cities and towns in the country.

Tanga should be catalyst for other cities to host EJAT

MCT, WINNER OF 2003 IPI

FREE MEDIA PIONEER AWARD

Editorial BoardKajubi Mukajanga

MCT EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

David Mbulumi PROGRAMME MANAGER

Hamis MzeeEDITOR

By MW Reporter

The Media Council of Tanzania has said it has noted a growing trend by some media outlets to flout professional ethics.

The contravention of the basic principles of the profession is reflected especially through the use of unethical statements contrary to Tanzanian culture, open discussions lacking civility, reporting elections in disregard of fairness and

balance and publishing allegations without any attempt to establish the truth or to provide the right of reply to the accused person.

Affirming the Council’s role in a overseeing that the media in the country observes ethics and is responsible to the community, the Executive Secretary of the Council, Kajubi Mukajanga, said in statement dated September 16, 2020 that despite being on the forefront in defending the rights of journalists to have conducive legal environment to

facilitate them to work without fear or impediments, it unreservedly condemns media outlets that deliberately disregard professionalism and both professional and societal ethics, the basic tenets of journalism - freedom, impartiality, humanity and responsibility.

For a strong, just and democratic a society, media is essential, MCT underscored in the statement adding that to ensure the growth of democracy

News

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September 2020

MCT issues a stern caution against unethical practice

Continues on page 4

The Executive Secretary of the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) Kajubi Mukajanga scolds unethical practice in media at a press conference in Dar es Salaam.

and justice prevails, the media should be responsible through self regulation and not by waiting to be regulated by government.

The Council has commended media outlets that have continued to adhere to professionalism and both the professional and social ethics, even when the environment was unfriendly.

“We should never bring the profession disrepute before the public by expressing, jokes, rumours and unbecoming language”, MCT warned in its statement.

It is pertinent for overseers in media outlets to emphasise the importance of ethics and professionalism and ensure that programme presenters and print journalists in their stories and columns abide to, the Council said and pointed out that this stems from the truth that information despite its objective of providing news, is also intended to educate, entertain, to meditate and to question. The Council also has appealed to media owners to remember that despite the importance of talents, journalists and broadcasters should have professional skills.

The Council welcomed the recent statement by the Director General of the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) appealing for MCT to support in facilitating and promoting ethics in media outlets.

The Council has said that it views the TCRA appeal as a catalyst in promoting cooperation among institutions that oversee media operations to ensure improvement in the performance of media outlets in the country.

Due to the importance and relevance of the issue, MCT said in its statement that it would be good if such cooperation is maintained with the aim of guiding the media on sound professional footing by providing friendly guidelines rather than waiting to take punitive measures which may impact negatively and viewed as gagging the media through suppression of press freedom and also freedom of expression.

On the part of the journalists, the MCT statement reminded that it was imperative that media freedom must be in tandem with integrity and responsibility to public who are the main stakeholders.

The Council reminded that it had frequently been issuing guidelines on ethics and the profession including publications on Professional Code of Ethics and Ethical Gaps in Media outlets.

It has been issuing various guidelines on reporting such as on court reporting, children, science and technology, statistics, rural reporting and even disasters such as COVID-19.

The Council, the statement said, has also been conducting various training on laws and ethics for journalists and provide such services like preparing deadline and systems on media self regulation.

NewsMedia Council of Tanzania Newsletter

MCT issues a stern caution against unethical practice From page 3

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Media practitioners working in a newsroom.

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NewsSeptember 2020

By MW Reporter

All is set for the 11th edition of the Excellence in Journalism Awards Tanzania (EJAT) 2019 to

take place at Tanga Beach Resort, the cradle of exuberance and hospitality along the shores of the Indian Ocean.

Staff members of the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT), the lead partner of the EJAT Organising Committee, are working round the

clock to ensure EJAT gala night is a success.

Nominees from around the country are expected to start arriving in Tanga on September 27 and by early the next day the place will be like a beehive.

The EJAT festivities will be preceded by the General National Convention of the Council which will also feature the International Day for Right to Know.

For Tanga Beach Resort by hosting EJAT gala night it joins the ranks of other venues of previous

events for the past ten years.The other venues where

EJAT gala nights were held are Movenpick Hotel, Mliman City, Ibungo Plaza, Golden Tulip.

Tanga Beach Resort becomes the first venue outside Dar es Salaam to host the prestigious event of awarding journalists for best performance.

This time around, fifty six nominees have been picked for the final lap of the 2019 Excellence in Journalism Awards Tanzania (EJAT).

All is set for EJAT gala night

A section of the Tanga Beach Resort where the Excellence in Journalism Awards Tanzania (EJAT) gala night will be held.

Continues on page 6


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The winners and runners-up of awards for best performance in journalism for the year will be known at a gala night on September 28,2020 .

A panel of six judges scrutinized 450 entries submitted for the awards by journalists from mainstream media- newspapers, television and radio stations, community radios and online media from September 8 to 14, 2020.

Out of 56 nominees 25, are from print media 21 from radio, 10 from television. 25 of the nominees are women and 32 are males.

The panel of judges was led by Pudenciana Temba. Others were

Mohammed Kissengo, Imane Duwe, Khalfan Said, Mkumbwa Ally and Pili Mtambalike, who served as Secretary to the panel.

The EJAT climax will be graced by Hon. Martin Shigela, Tanga Regional Commissioner.

Out of the total submitted entries 192 were from print media while practitioners from radio and television stations submitted 250 entries and from online media eight entries.

The Chairperson of the Organizing Committee of EJAT, Kajubi Mukajanga, said in statement released on September 17,2020 that for the organisers – the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) and

partners, this trend is a positive development and more media practitioners appreciate and value EJAT, now in its eleventh year, as a crucial barometer for excellence in journalism.

Members of the event’s Organising Committee are the Media Council of Tanzanua (MCT) which chairs the Committee, Tanzania Media Foundation (TMF), Media Institute of Southern Africa-Tanzania Chapter (MISA-Tan), the Tanzania Media Women’s Association (TAMWA), Media Owners Association of Tanzania (MOAT), HakiElimu, ANSAF, Union of Tanzania Press Clubs (UTPC) and SIKIKA.

All is set for EJAT gala nightFrom page 5

The front section of Tanga Resort Beach.

Here are the nominees of the Excellence in Journalism Awards Tanzania (EJAT) 2019.

NewsSeptember 2020

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SN NOMINEE NAME MEDIA OUTLET REGION1 Neema Goyayi AFM Radio Dodoma2 Fatma Abdallah Chikawe AZAM TV Dar es Salaam3 Amina Semagogwa Radio Kwizera Kagera4 Sauli Gilliard Daily News Dar es Salaam5 Editha Karlo Mtanzania Kigoma6. Zuhura Juma Said Zanzibar Leo Zanzibar7 Idi Juma Afya Radio Mwanza8 Yohani Gwangway Radio SAUT Mwanza9 Dominic Mrimi Radio SAUT Mwanza10. Gwamaka Alipipi Nipashe Dar es Salaam11 Halili Letea The Citizen Dar es Salaam12. Alfred Lastek Mushi Habari Leo Dar es Salaam13. Sanula Athanas Sanula Nipashe Dar es Salaam14 Baraka Jailosi Messa Habari Leo Songwe15. Asha Ahmed Omar Chuchu FM Zanzibar16 Hilda Phoya Mlimani TV Dar es Salaam17 Agnes J. Almasy ITV Dar es Salaam18 Deogratias Damian Macha Fountain Radio Kilimanjaro19 Kelvin Matandiko Mwananchi Dar es Salaam20. Kareny Masasy Habari Leo Shinyanga21 Evanc Ng’ingo Habari Leo Dar es Salaam22 Anord Jovine Kailembo Radio Kwizera Kagera23 Agnes Mbapu TBC1 Dar es Salaam24 Adella Herry Tillya EFM Radio Dar es Salaam25 Betty Tesha TBC Taifa Dar es Salaam26 Khamis Suleiman Said Channel 10 Dar es Salaam27 Jamaly Hashim Said Azam TV Dar es Salaam28 Essau Kalukubila Radio Jamii Micheweni Pemba29 Joseline Joseph Kitakwa TBC FM Dar es Salaam30 Isidory Peter Mtunda Pambazuko FM Ifakara, Morogoro31 Ashton Balaigwa Nipashe Morogoro32 Faraja Sendegeya Azam TV Dar es Salaam33 Adam G. Hhando CG FM Tabora34 Kija Yunus Mohamed Clouds TV Dar es Salaam35 Regina Kulindwa Radio Sauti Mwanza36 Agnes Anderson AFM Radio Dodoma37 Rehema Mwaikema Azam TV Mwanza38 Husna Mohammed Khamis Zanzibar Leo Zanzibar39 Rehema Goodluck Mwananchi Dar es Salaam40 Lucas Raphael Habari Leo Tabora41 Marco Maduhu Nipashe Shinyanga42 Sifa Lubasi Habari Leo Dodoma43 Harriet Makweta Mwananchi Dar es Salaam44 Godfrey Kahango Mwananchi Dar es Salaam45 Rahma S. Ali Zanzibar Leo Zanzibar46 James Kandoya The Guardian Dar es Salaam47 James Kamala Daily News Dar es Salaam48 Crispin Samson The Guardian Dar es Salaam49 Hadija Omar Nassor Voice of Tabora Tabora50 Aurelia Palali Kwizera radio Kagera51 Abdul Kingo Nipashe Dar es Salaam52 Muhidin Msamba The Guardian Dar es Salaam53 Bakar Masoud Bakar Chuchu FM Zanzibar 54 Rajab Mustapha Mrope Pangani FM Pangani, Tanga55. Tatu AbdallahKazimoto TBC Njombe56. Philip Mwihava Clouds Dar es Salaam

By MW Reporter

Entries of this year’s Excellence in Journalism Awards Tanzania (EJAT) 2019 were scrutinized and approved by a team of experienced judges.

The panel was led by Pundenciana Temba and others were Mohammed Kisengo, Imane Duwe, Khalfan Said, Mkumbwa Ally and Pili Mtambalike.

Lead judge Pudenciana Temba – long serving journalists with the Government newspapers, the Daily News and Sunday News. She has risen through the ranks from a reporter to Editor. Pudenciana commonly referred as Pude by colleagues and friends has been in the panel of judges of EJAT events judges for some time now. She is well respected in reading and scrutinizing entries.

Mohammed Kissengo- a long serving radio journalist. He worked for

Radio Tanzania Dar Es Salaam before shifting to Radio One.

Imane Duwe – Trainer of journalists. She served as a lecturer at the Saint Augustine University (SAUT) having a stint at the Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation, now she is heading the Zanzibar Journalism Training Institute.

Khalfan Said – a long serving photo journalist. Worked for the Guardian and is now running a blog.

Mkumbwa Ally – Veteran journalist and Editor. He rose through the ranks at the Daily News and had a stint at the African newspaper. He is well known for his writing style of stories and tough and strong editorials.

Pili Mtambalike - served the panel as Secretary. Pili has long history with Media Council of Tanzania. She was long serving Programme Manager before she retired. She is a journalist by training and has worked with the Tanzania News Agency Shihata.


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Know the EJAT Judges

Pudenciana Temba

Imane Duwe

Mkumbwa Ally

The panel of EJAT judges at work.

Pili Mtambalike

Khalfan Said

Mohammed Kissengo

1. Business, Economy and Finance Reporting Award2. Culture and Sports Reporting Award 3. Agriculture and Agri – business Reporting Award4. Education Reporting Award 5. Tourism and Conservation Reporting Award6. Investigative Reporting Award 7. Data Journalism Award 8. Human Rights and Good Governance Report-

ing Award9. Best Photo Journalist Award 10. Best Cameraman Award11. Best Editorial Cartoonist Award 12. Gender Reporting Award

13. Elderly Reporting Award14. Children Reporting Award 15. Oil, Gas, and Mining Governance Reporting Award16. Sexual and Reproductive Health Reporting Award 17. Innovations for Human Development Reporting

Award 18. Adverse effect of chemical to Health and Environment

Reporting Award19. Road Safety Reporting Award 20. Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management Reporting

Award21. Open Award

THE CATEGORIES THAT WERE CONTESTED ARE:

By MW Reporter

The Media Council of Tanzania is expected to have new Governing Board and a new President of the Council on

September 28,2020. The six year tenure of the incumbent

president Thomas Mihayo is coming to an end.

Mihayo served the Council on its Ethics Committee before assuming the top position of President.

During his term the Council experienced highs and lows and undertaken reforms.

He is leaving the Council under diversification especially in raising operational funds.

The Vice President, Hassan Mittawi- his tenure is also ending.

Other members of the Governing Board are Wallace Mauggo, Dinnah Chahali, retired Jugde Juxon Mlay, Edmund Mndolwa, Edda Sanga, Bakari Machumu and Anne Henga.

The President of the Council, Vice President and the other member will be elected during the National General Convention to be held in Tanga on that day.

Following requirement of the Council’s constitution, at least one third of outgoing

board members will be retained for the sake of continuity and one third of elected members must be women.

Over 100 representatives of the media organizations are expected to attend the meeting.

Traditional agenda for the meeting will be receiving the report of the Executive Secretary, financial statement for 2019 and appoint the external auditor of the Council for 2020. The meeting will also approve the reviewed code of ethics for media profession.

The code of ethics is reviewed after every three years to ensure it captures changes in the communication industry.

MCT to emerge from Tanga with a new Governing Board

Outgoing President f MCT, retired Judge,Thomas Mihayo.

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NewsSeptember 2020

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By MW Reporter

ournalists are not trusted and given cooperation while some are branded as unpatriotic making it difficult for them to operate in the clove Island of Pemba.

This revelation came to light during a mediation session convened by the Ethics Committee of the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) held on September 9, 2020 in Pemba.

The session held under the Chairperson of the Ethics Committee, retired Judge, Juxon Mlay follows several reports on press freedom violations from Pemba, which compelled MCT to plan a strategic mediation on its 2020 work plan between news sources and reporters in Chake Chake, Pemba.

According to the reports, journalists in Pemba were facing difficulties in getting information specifically from government offices.

The sources that participated in the mediation with Pemba journalists and representatives of media were from government, non-profit organizations and police.

Others included in the MCT team were Deputy Chairperson of Ethics Committee-Edda Sanga and MCT Vice President-Hassan Mitawi, MCT Secretariat led by its Executive Secretary-Kajubi Mukajanga, Programme Manager-David Mbulumi, Senior Programme Officer-Zanzibar Office-Shifaa Hassan and Programme Officer-Saumu Mwalimu.

The daylong meeting discussed the challenges from both sides - journalists and news sources- and the Ethics Committee gave an advice on how better the two sides could work to ensure easy access to public information.

The meeting was officiated by Officer In Charge from the Ministry of Information, Tourism and Heritage, Khatib Mjaja, who insisted that government officials who do not release information without unjustified

reasons are not fair to the public of Pemba.He said that journalists are the bridge

between the state and its people, they are not enemies.

“Journalists help the public to solve problems in the community, they connect the citizens, they lead the way and we need to give them a cooperation they deserve” said Mjaja adding that journalists and news sources need one another and hence they should ensure their working relations is comfortable for both side.

However he cautioned journalists that sometimes not every information they request is readily available.

Contributing in the discussion journalist Hajj Nassor of Zanzibar Leo mentioned four major problems that journalists are facing in Pemba.

First he said, there are two groups of sources in Pemba, one is the group that readily give information to journalists while others are never cooperative.

Secondly, he said that some news sources will call journalists and press for their stories to be published as they are of positive image but when a journalist seeks a comment on a story deemed negative, they do not cooperate.

On the other hand, he said that Officers in charge use the Public Servant Code of Conduct (regulations) excusing themselves as not being the spokesperson until they get permission to do so.

He added that the other problem is that sources in Pemba trust mostly reporters who are not in Pemba and easily give them information.

“For example”, he said” the same story a journalist from Pemba is denied access, but a journalist from outside from Pemba will be given in a minute”.

Suleiman Rashid Omar correspondent of ITV said that the most suffering group of journalists in Pemba is those writing for private media. They are branded as not patriots.

Fatma Hamad of Swahiba FM Radio said she works on the radio station whose owner is an opposition leader and the biggest challenge she faces is that the news sources associate her and fellow journalists from the station as belonging to opposition as well.

She pointed out that not once, but on several occasions, she has been expelled from meetings accused for being a cadre of an opposition party.

“Sometime we fear to introduce ourselves that we work Swahiba FM radio because we might not get the information, we are following up,” she said.


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Pemba journalists ‘spill the beans’

Continues on page 12

• Bare daunting work challenges they encounter

Officer in Charge from the Ministry of Information, Tourism and Heritage Mr. Hatibu Mjaja opens the strategic mediation session held on September 9, 2020 in Chake Chake, Pemba.

By MW Reporter

A passionate appeal to news sources not to choose which media to give information and a caution not to withhold

or deny information to journalists were among proposals raised by the representatives of the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) during a strategic mediation session in Pemba.

MCT Vice President, Hassan Mittawi said during the session held on September 9, 2020 in Chake Chake Pemba that as much as journalists need not to be biased, the same applies news sources, “you do not choose who to give and who not to give information, because each media has specific audience.”

He said that it is imperative for journalists to have sources that they trust, but he explained that, there is no news source which does not like publicity or communicating to its consumers.

Citing the police, he said they cannot emphasise on peace building if they cannot encourage so through media, or health ministry cannot campaign on health matter efficiently without using

the media.The MCT Executive Secretary

Kajubi Mukajanga cautioned that, when news sources deny journalists access to information, this may promote speculation and circulation of rumors and fake news which the public may believe to be true.

He also asked journalists to evaluate themselves if they are being fair to their news sources in terms of giving equity coverage.

“For example, let’s ask ourselves; is Swahiba FM fair in their coverage of other people or parties? Because it might not be… that is where problem begins, “said Mukajanga.

He cautioned that when media is unfair in its coverage, that does not only affect the public but it also endangers their journalists.

He also warned that journalism as profession prohibit journalists even those working for media owned by political party, against donning clothes matching the party’s colours while going for a coverage.

“The TCRA’s Political Party Election Broadcasting Codes prohibit this, National Election Commission (NEC)

prohibits this, and even journalism ethics-election reporting strongly prohibits this,” added Mukajanga.

The Executive Secretary also called on media owners, managers and editors to support their journalists to ensure they pursue professional development courses including opportunities available online.

Mukajanga concluded that the two sides -journalists and news sources- are the pillars that need each other.

The Vice chairperson of the Ethics Committee, Edda Sanga insisted that journalists should not rely on the same sources of information all the time and suggested they create a database of several of sources which is important for providing them with alternative instead of relying on one source or group or sources.

She also called on for the journalists to work as a team and stand for their common interests or change they wish to bring. “You need to stand for one another and protect each other,” she said.

On his part, the Ethics Committee Chairperson, Judge Juxon Mlay pointed that following the discussion there is a need to continue holding such events until the challenges are resolved.

He called on the news sources to ensure they use the Mediation and Arbitration services offered for free by the Council whose aim to ensure the relations between news sources, journalists and the public are conducive.

“This is because we all need and depend on each other, when you feel aggrieved kindly file a complaint to the Council instead to creating enmity that in the end affects other people and the public as well,” said Judge Mlay.

NewsSeptember 2020

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Sources urged not to segregate media outlets

MCT Vice President, Hassan Mittawi

MCT Executive Secretary Kajubi Mukajanga

Vice chairperson of the Ethics Committee, Edda Sanga

Ethics Committee Chairperson, Judge Juxon Mlay


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Said Mohammed Ally- Former Chairperson-Pemba Press Club pointed out that for years he has seen progress in media sector, a revolution that saw the increase of radio station from one to the present 16, one TV to six.

However he said that the trend is not reflected in press freedom and access to information.

He said journalists fear to write stories on rural areas in Pemba because most of them are on challenges that the leaders do not want to be exposed.

He appealed to the government to guarantee freedom and safety of journalists as it encourages development of media.

Khadija Kombo – Zanzibar Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) on her side she said that, although many consider journalists working for state media to be free, on the contrary they face almost similar daunting challenges.

She said for example sometimes, they are forced to wear dresses with colors matching those of the political parties as they go to work forgetting that sometimes they will be required to cover stories from other parties where if that happens, it restricts their chances to access information.

She said, they face challenge in getting information not only from government officials, but from some other sources even non-profit organizations and private

companies.It has become difficult even to produce

children programmes. When a journalist wants for example to produce such a programme from a certain district, “you must write a letter to a district commissioner”, she said.

“So we are not privileged, we just do not have a place to raise complaints to and have

no alternative other than to abide to what we are told to,” she added.

On the side of the sources of information, one of their concern was as to why some of the information they share with journalists, is not reported.

Ahmed Mohammed Baucha an Officer In Charge from the Ministry Works, Communications and Infrastructure said that the challenge facing his fellow officers was lack of confidence that they have decision making powers in releasing information or working with journalists.

He pointed that there is a circular on that allows all such officers to release information as long as they inform the specific ministry/department Permanent Secretary.

“So it is not true that we are not allowed to speak, it’s just lack of confidence of some of my fellow officers in charge “he said.

Tabu Abdalla Msele – Tumaini Jipya Pemba an NGO , said she believes that low awareness on how to deal with media is what scare most of the news sources.

She said that many of them have never spoken to media and most of the times fear the interpretation a journalist might bring to the information they share.

A police officer Hamad Fakih Ally was of the opinion that some journalists are vividly bias towards other news and that is the reason for not inviting or allows them to gather information.

Hajj Nassor ( from Zanzibar Leo expresses his concerns on the challenges that journalists are facing on accessing information in Pemba. Looking on left is Senior Programme Officer-MCT Zanzibar Office Shifaa Hassan.

Miza Hassan Fakih, District Administrative Officer from Mkoani District speaking during the strategic mediation session .

Pemba journalists ‘spill the beans”From page 10

By MW Reporter

Private newspapers - The Guardian, Mtanzania, and Nipashe have exhibited high degree of responsibility providing what amounts to equitable coverage to

the top contenders for the presidency in the on-going campaigns for the October 28, 2020 elections.

In the first and second week of the campaign the newspapers have given front page coverage for the incumbent President John Pombe Magufuli, contenders Tundu Lissu and Bernard Membe.

The Guardian on September 2, led with a story on Magufuli asking the electorates to allow him to complete the projects that he that he had started, on the following day it led with a statement by heads of ten diplomatic missions in Tanzania expressing hope that the on-going election process will be transparent leading to free, fair and credible outcome.

The heads of the mission are of Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland. Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

A story on Tundu Lissu the presidential hopeful of the leading opposition party, Chadema pledging to uplift peasants and herders was second placed followed by that of the CCM presidential aspirant Magufuli on third place with Membe of ACT Wazalendo pledging liberty for all state executive agencies with emphaisi to cut powers of the presidency in fourth position.

Lissu’s pledge that health is his top priority scaled to the top as main story of the Guardian on September 4 with his photo as he arrived at a campaign rally in Tabora.

Magufuli’s photo waving to people at a rally in Shinyanga with its story asking electorates to give him more time – pointing out that setting legacy take more time than one term, is placed in second position with Membe’s pledge of isolating herders and farmers to stop conflicts on the anchor.

Mtanzania a Kiswahili newspaper on September 2 led with a story on Magufulu – the incumbent president pledging to offer president hopeful Lissu a job and Lissu himself pledging solve problems afflicting cotton as a subhead.

The launch of the presidential campaign by ACT Wazalendo’s Bernard Membe with the promise to bring about improvement is second

placed.A story on a appeals to the National Electoral

Commission against political “roughs” for Members of Parliament and Councils have been received by the commission. In all, the appeals total 557. On September 3, the newspaper changed tact with a two –word “ New Tanzania” with sub heads of the contenders Magufuli prominsing to change the country to be like Europe, Lissu maintaining a position of rejecting borrowing farmers and Membe assuring the country will be law abiding.

A large photo of Zanzibar presidential contestant Dr. Hussein Mwinyi returning his forms to the Chairman of the Zanzibar Electoral Commission, retired Judge Hamidu Mahmoud is placed on the front page. The same tact of having a single common headline is maintained by Mtanzania on September 4, highlighting pledges made by the aspirants with Magufuli promising wonders in the next five years, Membe to remove immunity for leaders and Lissu pledging to revoke CCM ownership of all sports stadiums.

Main photo is that of Magufuli addressing a rally in Shinyanga, another showing Lissu waving

from a car to an enthusiastic crowd in Tabora and Membe addressing a rally at Ikwiriri, in Coast Region Nipashe on its part of September 3 ran a lead story on a presidential aspirant of Chauma party, Hashim Rungwe reporting he has come up with a new pledge – to sell aircraft bought recently by the government which he claimed are not used.

Rungwe is well known for his popular pledge of setting up free eatery points where members of the public will be provided with rice and chicken at these points if he is elected president.

The front page apart from Rungwe photo it has also photos of incumbent Vice President Samia Suluhu addressing a campaign rally at Mvomero in Morogoro, Chadema running mate Salum Mwalimu addressing a rally in Shinyanga and ACT Wazalendo running mate Pro. Omary Khaki speaking at Kilwa Masoko.

ACT Wazalendo’s Membe photograph and headline features on top position of Nipashe on September 4, while that Lissu and report on his interview on ITV placed on anchor and Magufuli photo and story pledging fortunes to farmers and pastoralists.

September 2020

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News

Private newspapers balance coverage for all contenders

OpportunityMedia Council of Tanzania Newsletter

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GLOBAL REPORTING GRANTS

NewsSeptember 2020

15

By MW Reporter .

The Media Council of Tanzania (MCT) has produced a guide for Journalists on demographic dividend.

The guide is entitled Media Working to Support Tanzania’s Efforts to Harness the Demographic Dividend.

The book prepared by Council and will be launched in Tanga on September 28, 2020.

The guide is intended to equip media practitioners with requisite knowledge and understanding on key questions, steps and appeals on which to base the country’s effort to harness the demographic dividend in the country.

The guide is based on the result of demographic dividend study in The Tanzania Dividend Report 2017 which examines Tanzania’s prospects for harnessing the demographic dividends in light of its medium term and long term development plan articulated in Vision 2025. MCT partnered with Pathfinder International in producing the guide.

The Executive Secretary of the Media Council of Tanzania (MCT), Kajubi Mukajanga and Pathfinders Project Manager, Meshack Mollel, display a guide on demographic dividend for journalists on September 18, 2020.

MCT produces guide on demographic dividend


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By MW Reporter .

While coverage of this year’s election campaign in private newspapers seems to be balanced

in terms of placing of stories, the government newspapers – Daily news and Habari Leo are completely oblivious of providing equitable space to the various contenders.

To them, it is all about what the incumbent President John Pombe Joseph Mafufuli says and pledges in the campaign rallies that matters.

For example the Government Daily – the Daily News on September 2, carried two stories on Magufuli on front page which lead on the incumbent pledging bigger changes and another story saying good days ahead CCM tells Singida resident while former Foreign Minister and contestant for the presidency on ACT Wazalendo ticket, Bernard Membe’s story is dwarfed with a weak headline ACT Wazalendo weighs on roads, agriculture , healthcare.

The front page has big photo of Magufuli across eight columns- depicting him addressing a rally in Shinyanga. Membe’s photo a simple mug shot.

With another photo of Magufuli spreading across eight columns, Daily News of September 4 ran a lead story on the president with a headline stating “ Asses me in 10 years – Magufuli. No story on the other presidential aspirants.

A story on the former President Jakaya Kikwete campaigning for CCM is the page as well.

The same scenario is with sister paper Habari Leo, which on September 2, carried a story on Magufuli pledging that he wants to leave a legacy.

On September, apart from briefly reporting about Chauma’s Hashim Rungwe and NCCR Magauzi to launch their campaigns, Magufuli is the main story

and main photo. Same story as in the Daily News – Evaluate me after 10 years.

Apart from the mention of these two

parties and CUF, the opposition aspirant Tundu Lissu is not mentioned at all in both papers.

… Government newspapers negates coverage of opposition contenders

Complaints or inquiries should be addressed to:Executive Secretary, Media Council of Tanzania, P.O. Box 10160, Dar es Salaam, Tel.: 022-2775728,

022-2771947 Cell: 0784 314880 Fax: 022 2700370 E-mail: [email protected] www.mct.or.tz

mct cautions against unethical practice

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